"Holler if you're ready for some summer nights!"

So, it's summer. My favorite time of the year. The other day my mom said "I definitely think you're a sunshine girl. You're happy in the summer." And boy is she right. I love bright colors and warm temperatures, and I love the sun to shine right in my eyes. In a nutshell, I could never get enough of summer.

For the most part, things are the same. Working three jobs and playing when I have the time. I have a really great group of friends from my singles ward that I love spending time with. In fact, we're all going camping up the canyon this weekend. Yeah, baby!

I guess there is one  little update... in the music department. A couple of weeks ago, I showed my favorite songs that I've written to my vocal coach, and his reaction really surprised me. He said, "Record them. They're great." Say what? And then do you know what he did? He handed me a sticky note with THE Ryan Shupe's phone number on it, and told me to call him (me? call Ryan Shupe?) to ask if he and his band (the Rubber Band) will back me up on the recording of my songs. My own songs. I can't even believe it! So at the end of the summer, when I've saved up as much as possible, I'm going to do it. We'll see how this goes! In the meantime, I'll be writing like mad and working to improve the voice and guitar skills.

On Saturday night, I attended the Real Salt Lake v. Toronto game with my dad. Dads are so, so great. For whatever reason, the day had been a little bit of a hard one and I wasn't in the greatest mood, but he asked me to go with him and we had a great time and really enjoyed each other's company! The moment we got away, every doubt and insecurity that had been on my mind was gone, replaced by his love and comfort. As I was thinking about it, I was reminded that that's exactly how my Heavenly Father works. All I have to do is come to Him, then go where He wants me to go, and He has a way of trading out all my doubts for feelings of love and peace and confidence. What would I do without my Fathers?

A couple of weeks ago, Carly and I stole away to visit George for a few days. Our dear friend, Mr. St. George. We "lied like coon dogs baskin' in the sunshine"... and that is our favorite song. We also visited the St. George temple to do baptisms, ate out a few times, played tennis, and relaxed. Carly had to keep telling me to roll with it, and to stop planning out every hour of the day. What can I say, I am a planner. I learned that relaxing is a difficult task for me... I think the purpose of relaxation is to relieve anxiety, but it's something that always seems to add to mine, because I could be doing so many other things with my time! But Carls helped me to chill out a little bit and showed me how to enjoy not having a plan. :) Oh, and we watched the Notebook. Twice--one night after the next. We're officially in love with Ryan Gosling. Thanks for such a fun weekend, Car!

Spring.

Hello, hello! Oh how I love Spring. On my way to work today, Shotgun Jackson from KBull 93 informed me that this is going to be an amazing week because it's finally going to be in the 70s! It's about time... pretty sure I'm pasty white and ready for some serious rays. No more winter! :)

My CD is finally done! Well, almost.The mixing is now done, just have to fix a few small things and add some orchestration to a few songs. I really really hope someone will sell it so that I can earn back a small portion of the fortune it took to record it! Most of all, I hope that the songs convey the messages and the feelings that they're meant to. How do you put music on a blog? Anyone? I'll put up a few songs from the CD as soon as I know how.

Zach is leaving me on Wednesday! I feel like singing "I'm all alone, there's no one here beside me; I'm all alone, there's no one here to guiii-ide me-e!" All of my wonderful friends are on their way to bigger and definitely better things. AKA missions. I think anyone my age would agree that this is a little bit of an awkward phase of life between everyone leaving, meeting so many new people all the time, and not having a set group of friends to pal around with. I'm learning to really enjoy it, but it's still strange every time another great friend leaves.

I have an interview at Old Navy today! Cross your fingers for me!! I would love to work there, mostly because it would mean Gap and Banana Republic discounts. :) And also just because I am in serious need of a second job. The Neuroscience Center is such a great place to work, but it only gives me about 20 hours/week.

I really am going to do better at taking pictures and actually putting them on my computer, so I'll upload some to the blog shortly. Have a wonderful day!

Songs!

I figured it out... here they are. Hopefully there will be more to come. I'm still learning the guitar, so focus on the lyrics, not the playing. Let me know what you think. :)

The first one is called I Won't Fall Through. It's inspired by a brown-eyed boy and a perfect summer. :) The second one is called As You Go, Believe. It's more of a lullaby. I love it because it can apply to two lovers, two best friends, a mother and her child, or whatever. If you like them..... share them!

I Won't Fall Through

As You Go, Believe

Ohhhh sweet freedom.

Done! Done done done with my first year of college at BYU. What a year it's been! I think I've learned more as a freshman than ever before. Being such a small fish in a huuuge sea is a hard adjustment, coming from a graduating class of 214. It requires some soul-searching. It requires finding out who you really are, and being sure and comfortable with that person. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way, because as much as I thought I knew myself before I came here, I didn't know the half of it. Of me! And now I do. :)

McCaye and Nash are here right now, and I can't believe how big that little man is. This morning he laid on the floor and watched me while I played guitar and sang. I sure hope my babies love music as much as he does! McCaye and Kel and Mom and I are heading to Park City one of these next days for a little bit of Spring shopping.

Speaking of music, I wrote two more songs recently, and I'm starting guitar lessons again this Saturday! As soon as I figure out how, I'll upload a video of my songs to the blog. One is for Aaron, of course, and the other is for my great friend Zach who leaves for Argentina in less than two weeks. The LDS CD is on the back burner just a little bit at the moment until my voice coach has time to mix it, and I'm saving every penny for the mixing and the orchestration until then.

The room's almost done! I painted the wall that used to be brown, and I spraypainted an old nightstand and shelf black and fixed them up.

Please...

Ready, set, something exciting happen to me. And make it a beautiful male. Thank you and goodnight.

What a long day it's been. It's a very rare occasion that I stay home sick from school and lay on the couch for hours, but that's exactly what I did today. Tonight has been a little better though, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow I'll be cured. :)

I can't believe it's almost Thursday. Where in the world did Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday go? Not that I'm complaining... I'm just that much closer to the weekend. Speaking of the weekend, this should be a good one! Tomorrow I've got a Nutrition study group with Kristalyn starting at 4, then at 7, she and Jaden (another Nutrition buddy) and I are going to get sushi and study some more. Not that I'm any kind of sushi fan, but I think it will be fun! On Friday, I'm getting together with several people from last year's Chamber Singers, because we haven't seen each other since graduation. Not quite sure what we'll do, but I love catching up with friends that I haven't talked to in a while. It's always so fun to see what everyone ends up doing and where life's craziness takes them.

I should really be writing two papers and studying for a test and quiz. Yaaay college. But hey, almost one year down. It's so crazy... this has felt like the longest year of my life, BY FAR. But at the same time, I can't believe the school year's almost over! I'm ready to move on past the phase of life where every RM says "Oh, you're a freshman? Hm..." and then you never hear from them again. I really can't wait to meet new people in my ward at the Elms! I feel like I have some great friends and some great experiences just around the corner.

I'm going to be a good student now and start studying. I won't wait two more weeks to write, promise. At least I don't think I will. Have a great night!

:) Happy me.

I got a job I got a job I got a job!! I'm so excited. Come April, I will be a secretary for the BYU Neuroscience Office. I love being a secretary! What do you know... prayer works. :)

Tonight we had a Women's Chorus concert at Maple Mountain. I really miss seeing my great friends and teachers! Going back there is always a little bit bittersweet, because I absolutely loved my senior year and almost wish I could've spent more time there. HOWEVER, at the same time, it's fun to revisit those memories and know that I've moved on to bigger and better things.

I've decided that I really want to get into a leadership position at BYU. Mom says that I need to make a huge poster titled "I've decided..." and add to it every day because I say those words so often! I just have so many things I want to do, and sometimes I get frustrated that I can't do it all! I want to learn piano and guitar, be on student council, improve my dance skills, go to London for Study Abroad, be in another musical, do so much more with my voice than I'm doing... the list goes on and on and on. One thing at a time, right? Ah, sometimes I hate time.

Last night I went to the BYU game with two of my future roommates. Well, we attempted, but apparently paying $200+ for an all-sports pass does nothing, because we didn't get in. No, I'm not bitter. But we ended up getting frozen yogurt and hanging out with Jake and Joe, a couple of their UVU friends. We made it a fun night. :) Kristalyn and Korinne (the future roomies) are the greatest. I really am so excited to live in the Elms with them! They're the sweetest girls, and they love to party. Hooray!

Everything really is falling into place right now, and I couldn't be happier. I'm still taking dance, but I've decided that Young Ambassadors probably isn't for me. Yes, it would be an amazing experience, no doubt. However, I don't think I fit the persona that is required; they all seem to be very dramatic and very loud, and I don't really want to surround myself with that nor be like that. Not to mention that I'd live with the girls and I'd have practice 20+ hours per week. Don't get me wrong, I think they are amazing people! It's me, not them. :) But I really want to keep trekking down this singing route I'm on. I think that if I do more with singing alone, rather than dance and acting, I could really improve to where I want to be. Sorry, I'm thinking out loud again.

Oh boy, I'm exhausted and have yet to start my homework. I gotta get on that. Have a great one!